Charity declares New York vegan capital of 2014

Animal rights charity PETA declared New York vegan capital of the world on Wednesday as Scottish actor Alan Cumming unveiled a replica of the Manhattan skyline carved out of vegetables, AFP reports.

Dan Mathews, senior vice president of PETA, said the Big Apple was "2014 most vegan-friendly city" of the year due to a first vegetarian public school, vegan fast-food outlets and increasing offshoots of vegan gourmet restaurants.

Mathews said celebrities such as Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez were among those who had taken the 22-day vegan cleanse, saying that incorporating vegan elements into diets was healthy.

"I am a vegan and to be in a city which is so vegan friendly is great," Cumming, who went vegan a couple of years ago and currently stars on Broadway in "Cabaret," told reporters.

"Everyone realizes that these things are delicious and good for you and I think it's an indication of how we're becoming more conscious about what we do to our bodies," he added.